LAST WEEK IN JUNE

This week started out with a "blue Monday". It's always too quiet around here after the grandkids have been here but later in the day I heard news about our national ELW (Evangelical Lutheran Women) that really got me in a blue mood. Our national board had a special meeting and voted to dissolve the organization!! I didn't want to believe it but saw it in writing on the ELW website and got a letter later in the week that confirmed it. We had a Weyburn Conference convention in April and there was no mention of that possibility in the president's report. We knew there were financial problems and our Esprit magazine was going to be discontinued. But to have the organization dissolved was unthinkable!!

I got my start in Ladies Aid back in Frontier when I stayed with my Grandma Erickson and went to school for grades one to three. The school bus didn't come out our way as we were three miles off the bus route! Grandma was a faithful Ladies Aid member. I have a picture taken at her last Ladies Aid on the farm in 1937, taken outside with a large group of women and children, many sets of three generations of Lutherans. I also have Grandma's life membership WMF pin that she was awarded in later years for her membership in Bethel's ladies group. Ladies Aid always ended with a big lunch and that's where I came in after school. Jello still reminds me of Ladies Aid lunches with Grandma.

After Mom had polio she didn't drive anymore so wasn't able to be active in Ladies Aid or WMF as it was known then. I have a cup and saucer that she got from the group for her surprise 40th birthday party.

When I moved to Torquay I became a member of Salem Circle, a part of Trinity's LCW (Lutheran Church Women). Twenty-five years ago we became ELW as Canada became independent and known as the ELCIC. Now we have to find another name for our group as ELW will no longer exist. I grieved awhile, but on thinking it over, it isn't as devastating as it seemed at first. Our local had even discussed going on our own as we weren't in favor of some of the decisions made by the organization. We had already chosen a different Bible study for this year. Our group will continue to gather for Bible study each month, to support mission work, to serve, to visit, to do the janitor work at Trinity and of course to quilt in the winter months. Maybe we will go back to the organizations first name - Ladies Aid.

Now on to brighter news. Laurel sent pictures of Milestone School's Fun 'n Fitness Day so I'll add a couple of them.

We didn't get through the week without any rain, in fact we had a hail storm on Wednesday evening! I had just put out some marigolds so they had a short life in my garden! Other plants fared better but the canola across the road took a beating. It was just starting to flower so the hail did damage to that. Clare's flax wasn't as advanced so didn't get hurt much. He managed to geteverything sprayed that he could get into and they left for a camping trip to Kenosee on Friday evening. No rain this weekend, so good timing for a camping trip.

Kirk, Shauna and family were off to Regina today to visit Shauna's mom, who is in the General Hospital awaiting tests and possible surgery. Our thought and prayers are with you Louise.

Dawson and Eric were excited on Thursday as they were invited to Eugene Diekragers to meet Troy Brouwer, a member of the Stanley Cup champion team, the Chicago Blackhawks. They went home with a Jonathon Toew's hockey stick used in the playoffs and a commemorative team book with Troy's picture on the cover. Troy's turn to have the Stanley Cup is July 15. He will be taking it to the rehab centre where his dad has been for the past months. I'll add picture when I get them from Laurel.

There was a special service today at Trinity as the Daae family had a family reunion. This afternoon they were celebrating Ray's 80th birthday. We should have been there but Howard wasn't feeling up to going, especially being in a crowd. So we spent a quiet day at home, went for a walk, dug up some weeds, watched TV (a ballgame is on right now!). Todd called this afternoon. They enjoyed spending time with friends Rolf and Ruth at their "hitta" (cabin).

On Saturday I went to Ambrose to mail a package to Todd - a set of five DVD's from the Vancouver Olympics that finally arrived. I managed to fit in a few of his favorite ginger cookies too. There's a special envelope that goes airmail overseas for $13.45 with a limit of 4 pounds.

I stopped at the Ambrose arena where a horse show was taking place. Nicole Burtman, Laurel's friend from college days in Williston, was there with her daughter, Sophie. It was fun to watch these youngsters handling their horses with ease. In the event I watched there were six in the group. They were to ride their horses around the ring and to have the horse walk, lope, trot etc as directed. They made it look easy. Heavy rain had been forecast for the area but thankfully that warning was cancelled and they had a lovely weekend for riding.

I am hoping that we can take in the July 1st Jamboree at Oungre, SK on Thursday. The Daae family from Bromhead will be part of it, as will the Hansen Trio from this area. It's held in the skating rink so goes ahead rain or shine. It's usually quite cool inside, great on a hot day. We are blessed to live in Canada and thankful for our ancestors who pioneered during difficult days so that we can enjoy a lifestyle that they couldn't have imagined - cell phones, TV by satellite, a world wide web where we can talk to our family in Norway while we watch them on the computer screen. We won't get into all the negative things that have also come with the changes.

Happy Canada Day!